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By Moses Akaigwe
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Otunba Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, has said the newly launched Dealership Registration Portal marks a major milestone in the drive to formalise Nigeria’s automotive dealership ecosystem.
He said the portal would enhance market intelligence and reinforce regulatory oversight across the industry.
Speaking on Thursday at the Lagos session of the National Sensitisation Workshop on the NADDC Dealership Registration Portal, held in Ikeja, Osanipin explained that the digital platform is a strategic initiative under the National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP 2023–2033), which places strong emphasis on digital innovation as a catalyst for industrial growth.
He noted that the portal ushers in a new era for the regulation and development of Nigeria’s automotive sector by replacing fragmented and unreliable records with a unified, real-time database that will support informed policymaking, improve transparency and accelerate the sustainable growth of the industry.
He explained that the absence of a unified database has long created information asymmetry within the automotive industry, making it difficult for regulators to monitor market trends, verify the integrity of vehicles entering the Nigerian market, and provide targeted support to legitimate vehicle dealers.
“The Dealership Registration Portal is not a mere administrative requirement; it is the cornerstone of our strategy to formalise the motor dealership landscape,” Osanipin said.
He noted that the digital platform would create a transparent operating environment where registered dealers can establish stronger links with local vehicle manufacturers and government agencies, gain easier access to financing, and operate with full legal recognition.
Addressing members of the motor dealership community, the NADDC boss urged operators to embrace the registration process, describing the portal as a business-enabling platform rather than an additional regulatory burden.
He said registration would enhance dealers’ credibility with financial institutions, improve their access to business opportunities, and ensure they are adequately represented in national automotive policy formulation.
Osanipin also reaffirmed the Council’s collaboration with the House of Representatives Committee on Industry to create a business environment driven by transparency, efficiency and digital governance.
According to him, the digitisation initiative is aimed at eliminating manual bottlenecks, reducing corruption, and ensuring equal opportunities for dealers regardless of their size or location.
He encouraged participants to actively engage in the technical sessions of the workshop by asking questions and completing their registration before the close of the event.
“The future of the Nigerian automotive industry is digital, and that future starts with the actions we take in this room today,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Industry, Hon. Dr. Enitan Dolapo Badru, threw his weight behind the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC)’s Dealership Registration Portal, describing it as a strategic digital infrastructure that will formalise Nigeria’s vehicle dealership ecosystem, enhance regulatory compliance, and strengthen data-driven policy implementation.
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The House Committee Chairman was represented by the Clerk (of the Committee), Barr. (Dr.) Usman Ibrahim.
Hon. Badru said the initiative aligns with the objectives of the National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP 2023–2033), which seeks to build a formal, globally competitive and technology-driven automotive industry.
He noted that the automotive sector remains a key driver of industrialisation, employment generation and economic diversification, stressing that the digital registration platform would address long-standing challenges associated with fragmented data and limited visibility within the motor dealership sub-sector.
According to him, the portal will provide government and industry stakeholders with reliable real-time data for policy formulation, planning and regulatory oversight while streamlining vehicle dealership registration and compliance processes.
“For too long, the motor dealership sub-sector has operated with limited visibility and fragmented data. This has hindered effective planning, policy formulation and regulatory oversight,” he said.
Badru explained that the digital-first platform would also improve transparency, support evidence-based decision-making, and provide dependable information that financial institutions, regulators and investors can utilise in developing the automotive value chain.
Addressing members of the Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria (AMDON) and other stakeholders, the lawmaker assured them of the National Assembly’s commitment to supporting policies and legislation that would strengthen the sector’s digital transformation.
He emphasised that the registration exercise was not intended to create additional bureaucracy but rather to formalise dealership operations, improve investor confidence, and enable dealers to access financing, insurance products and international business partnerships.
“The National Assembly stands firmly with you. We recognise your role as the backbone of vehicle distribution and after-sales service across the country. Formalising your operations through this portal is about protecting your business, building investor confidence and positioning Nigerian dealers to access credit, insurance and global partnerships,” he said.
Badru further pledged that the House Committee on Industry would continue to provide legislative oversight and collaborate with NADDC to ensure the portal remains secure, user-friendly and beneficial to registered dealers nationwide.
He commended the Director-General and management of NADDC for introducing the digital platform, describing it as a significant milestone in promoting transparency, accountability and sustainable growth in Nigeria’s automotive industry.
The Chairman also urged vehicle dealers across the country to register on the portal and actively participate in the digital transformation process, maintaining that a robust dealership database would strengthen the implementation of the NAIDP and accelerate the modernisation of Nigeria’s automotive sector.
In his remarks, the National President of AMDON, Prince Ajibola Adedoyin, commended the NADDC, stating that the initiative is a welcome development.
Prince Adedoyin expressed satisfaction, saying that even before the government came in, AMDON members had been making efforts to regulate the activities of their members.
“We welcome the initiative because, from the outset, we have been trying to regulate the industry by ourselves. We have even asked the government to come and regulate us because, before now, anybody could just bring in vehicles without due process. It does not augur well for the industry,” he said.
Prince Adedoyin stated that now that the government has come in to properly regulate the sector, it will be able to flush out unregistered dealers.
“Now that the government is coming to regulate, they will be able to flush out those who are not real vehicle dealers; those who are making it difficult for genuine business owners to do their business.”
“On the implementation, it has to do with the leadership. I know that it was President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who launched the Nigeria First Policy, and he meant it.
Again, the NADDC DG that we have now is doing well in the industry and is taking everything seriously. We are very positive that it will be implemented and that the benefits will accrue to the economy,” Adedoyin said.
